#7: Effective Questioning
Questions can open a conversation right up if used effectively. Here’s a quick reminder of what’s important about good questions
Effective questions have certain characteristics:
- They are simple
- Their purpose is to find out information you don’t have the answer to
- They are open (open questions and free from strategising)
Open Questions
Who, what, where, when, why and how – will open up the conversation and encourage the person being questioned to think very widely
Closed Questions
Did, should, could, have, will, etc. –may get a full answer but can legitimately be answered with a simple yes or no.
It’s useful to get into the habit of asking mainlyopen questions as they will often get you more. Remember, your tone can affect the way a question is received (see the learning byte #6 on the Impact of your communication).
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